The danger of convenience; all of us are guilty

            As I explore more about why companies and people are unsustainable, there’s one glaring reason that sticks out to me. It’s not ignorance, malice, or even money; it’s convenience. Especially living in America, our lifestyle revolves around convenience. We drive in cars that emit gas because we don’t want the inconvenience of walking or biking. We buy snacks in packaged bags, get food that’s packaged unsustainably in drive thrus, eat an excess amount of meat, and many more things all for the sake of convenience. The more I observe how reliant our society has become on convenience, the more I realize that convenience is a disease to environmentalism. Taking care of the planet takes effort. It takes thought. This, unfortunately, is something many Americans aren’t acclimated to. I will be the first to admit that I’m guilty of it too; we all are. However, making simple lifestyle changes by learning about the harmful consequences of our daily actions may change your perspective on convenience.
            At the beginning of high school, I gave thought to my meat consumption. I believe that if you truly want to make changes in how sustainable you are, your diet should be the number one priority. So, I became vegetarian. Although it took some adjusting, it’s easily one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve ever made. Although I missed chicken nuggets and hamburgers in drive thrus, knowing that I was doing a small act for the planet made my decision worthwhile, and I’ve been vegetarian ever since.
            Finding ways around convenience in our daily lives can be tedious and exhausting, but I believe the first step to being sustainable is by forming good habits. Making your coffee yourself in the morning instead of waiting in the Starbucks drive thru, washing out an item and breaking down boxes for recycling, and taking reusable bags to the grocery store are all simple ways to promote sustainability and end our bad habits. So, I encourage you to look at your habits and if the convenience of your daily routine can be more sustainable!